


Without You

by thirtyskeletons



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, confidence boosting??, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-29 03:51:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6357856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thirtyskeletons/pseuds/thirtyskeletons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I could never do something like that."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Without You

The brog slammed its large front legs down with huge force, knocking Shulk right onto his butt.  He was back on his feet in a millisecond, dashing around Reyn to get at the creature’s side.  Reyn immediately recognized their rehearsed battle strategy at work, and thrust his weapon into the air in order to gain the enemy’s attention. 

“Hey ugly, over here!” He brought his weapon down hard on the monster’s head in a quick Hammer Beat.  He definitely had its attention now, and was expecting it to jolt forward from the impact of the extra damage from Shulk’s Back Slash. 

Instead, Shulk zipped around to the side of the monster and leapt up into the air, swinging the monado in a wide arc.  The brog stumbled to the side, caught off-guard and slowing its movements.  Reyn used this opening to topple it, getting a few more hits in until it was finally felled by Shulk’s Back Slash. 

“Shulk, that was awesome!” Reyn exclaimed, rushing over to his friend’s side. “Is that a new art?” 

Shulk nodded. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna call it ‘Air Slash’.  Convenient, isn’t it?” 

“More like totally cool!” Reyn whooped, clapping Shulk on the back with a bit too much force, causing him to stumble. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when you jumped up like that!” His voice softened as he cast his eyes down, smile turning melancholy. “I could never do something like that.” 

“Stop that.” 

Reyn snapped his eyes up to find Shulk staring directly at him, big blue eyes boring holes in his skull.  He faltered under his gaze. “W-what?” 

Shulk’s gaze didn't waver.  “I said stop that!” He pressed his index finger against Reyn’s chest for emphasis. “That thing you do. You’re constantly comparing yourself to me, or Dunban, or any of your Defense Force buddies.”

Reyn blinked. “I am?” 

Shulk raised his hands over his head in exasperation. “Yes, you are!  You’re always saying stuff like ‘I could never do that’ or ‘You’re way smarter than me’.” Shulk’s expression softened. “It really makes me worry about you sometimes.” 

Reyn thought that was absolutely ridiculous. “Worry? About me? No way, man, there’s nothing to worry about.” He pounded his chest. “I’m as solid as a rock! You know that.” 

Shulk chuckled at that, but it didn’t reach his eyes.  He took Reyn’s fist into his own smaller hands and brought it away from his chest and towards his own.  Reyn was surprised at how intimate the motion was. 

“I just…” Shulk began, not looking up at Reyn but rather at their hands still curled together between them.  “I don't like it when you're constantly talking down on yourself. It's incredibly unfair.” 

Shulk had unfurled Reyn’s fist and was now absentmindedly playing with his fingers as he spoke. He thought it was adorable. “What do you mean, unfair?” 

Shulk looked back up at Reyn’s face, eyebrows scrunched together. “Because we're two completely different people with completely different sets of skills! Sure, you couldn't do an Air Slash, but have you seen all of your crazy defensive arts that I could never pull off? You saw how that brog knocked me off my feet in one blow, but you were still standing strong.” Shulk brought his hand up to Reyn's cheek, just barely touching him. “I'm offense and you're defense. And frankly, I don't think I could last a second out here without you.” 

Reyn could only just stare at Shulk for a few seconds before the floodgates burst.  All of his deeply repressed feelings of inadequacy came bursting forth, every self-doubt and regret, every time he kicked himself for not being smart enough, fast enough, strong enough.  Every time he spend long hours of the day training his heart out, hoping to make himself at least a little better. Every time someone he loved got hurt, and he knew, he just _ knew,  _ there was something he could’ve done.  Fat tears rolled down his cheeks, staining his shirt and getting all over Shulk's hand, which still hadn't moved. 

Shulk just smiled warmly, and drew him closer into a tight hug, running his fingers through his short hair. “You're so, so incredible,” he continued as he rubbed small, comforting circles into Reyn's back as he cried, “You’re so extraordinary and I hate to see you telling yourself otherwise.” 

They stayed like that for a while, Reyn's large arms wrapped around Shulk's thinner torso, crying into the fabric of his jacket.  After a long, comfortable silence, broken only by Reyn’s muffled sobs and Shulk’s quietly whispered assurances, Reyn finally pulled away.  He was swiping at his reddened eyes, but he managed to pull himself together.  Shulk smiled up at him, still holding on to his arms. 

“Feel better now?” He asked, without a trace of mocking.  Reyn couldn’t stop himself from smiling back.  He couldn’t help but notice, at this close proximity, how beautiful Shulk really was.  The setting sun played across his features, casting dramatic shadows and bouncing off of his soft, golden hair.  His deep blue eyes were filled with emotion, crinkled in the corners from his gorgeous smile.  He couldn’t put into words how grateful he was for Shulk, so he did the only other thing he could think to do, and leaned down and kissed him right on the mouth.  

It was soft and chaste, soft lips touching his own chapped ones, but it made him feel like fireworks.  Shulk’s eyes were as wide as saucers when he pulled back, and his face was an impressive shade of red.  Reyn was suddenly struck with a sense of nervousness,  _ What did I just do, did I just ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to me, why did I do that oh no oh no-  _

His frantic, panicked thoughts were silenced when Shulk pulled him in for another kiss, much deeper and filled with so much raw emotion.  Reyn melted into the kiss.  It felt like a much-needed release for both of them, relief mingling with giddy excitement.  They were smiling against each other's lips as Reyn laced his fingers through Shulk’s hair and kept his other hand on his hip. Shulk put his hand back on the other’s face, tracing his fingers along his strong jawline. They eventually had to break apart for breath, but they kept their foreheads firmly pressed together as the gazed into each other’s faces, both grinning hugely.  A giggle bubbled out of Shulk’s mouth, and in no time at all the two of them had to separate because they were laughing too much.   

After they had both calmed down, Reyn pulled Shulk in for another hug. “Thank you,” he said into his hair, “for everything.”

Shulk giggled again. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.  I don’t want to hear you ever talk about yourself like that again.” He leaned up and pecked Reyn on the nose before pulling away, tugging him along by his hand. “Now come on, now that all of Gaur Plains has seen us kiss, we should get going to Colony 6.” 

Reyn had no complaints, and he let himself get pulled along, all his focus on Shulk’s pale fingers intertwined with his own darker ones.  As he watched Shulk move in front of him, seemingly renewed with a new sense of purpose, he couldn’t help but think;  _ I wouldn’t be able to do it without you either.  _

**Author's Note:**

> reyn barely implies that he feels bad about himself?????? WRITES FIC IMMEDIATELY 
> 
> honestly this totally got away from me. one sec it was cute confidence boosting and the my hand slipped and they were smoochin ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> thanks again to http://ari-zonia.tumblr.com/ for beta-ing!


End file.
